You will trigger and record field Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials in hippocampal slices to study basic synaptic readouts, e.g. Paired-Pulse Ratio. You will use different protocols to induce Long Term Potentiation and test the effect of filtering on extracellular signals.

Learn how to record from pyramidal cells and interneurones of hippocampus and cortex. Use extracellular stimulation to elict and record synaptic inputs. Record spontaneous inputs and probe firing responses. You will have access to a variety of modern equipment and a demonstration of loose-cell attached recording and stimulation.

If you want to learn patch-clamping or solidify your knowledge of the technique, this is the practical for you. We will explain the techniques, the preparations and how to optimise both current-clamp and voltage-clamp recordings. We will guide you through a step-by-step approach to locating the patch electrode, selecting a “good” cell, and approaching the membrane until achieving the famous giga-seal. You will also learn how to design recording protocols and choose the most intracellular solutions for your future experiments.

You will learn about the powerful applications of 2-photon microscopy using acousto-optic deflectors: rapid random-access 3D scanning coupled with holographic excitation. These advanced techniques will be applied to imaging of genetically-encoded voltage and calcium indicators (GEVIs and GECIs), with part of the practical devoted learning about the latest developments in the fast-moving field of GEVIs, which can today be used to record both action potentials and subthreshold voltages from deeply located neurones in vivo.

This two-day workshop provides hands-on training in Neuropixels electrophysiology. Day 1 covers data acquisition: building the probe and preparing it for acute recording, planning trajectories with 3D atlases, introduction to probe hardware (Neuropixels 1.0 vs 2.0, analog-to-digital conversion), denoising a rig, acute recording in awake mice, and signal synchronization. Day 2 focuses on data analysis: in-depth description of Neuropixels raw data format, introduction to machine learning relevant for spike-sorting, theory of spike sorting, practical data pre-processing, automated spike sorting and manual curation, and alignment of neural to behavioral data.

You will be introduced to experimental strategies for investigating activity-dependent subcellular calcium and neurotransmitter signaling using 2-photon microscopy in vitro. Participants will gain practical experience with both organic and genetically encoded calcium indicators, as well as recently developed neurotransmitter sensors, including glutamate reporters. Strong emphasis is placed on experimental design, data acquisition, and quantitative analysis, equipping participants to rigorously interpret imaging data in complex neural systems.

Learn about cerebellar slices, how to patch and optimise recordings from Purkinje cells and granule cells. You will have the opportunity to use extracellular stimulation of synaptic inputs, such as parallel fibre and climbing fibre inputs to Purkinje cells. You will have access to a variety of modern equipment and a demonstration of loose-cell attached recording and stimulation.

During this practical, you will discover the fundamental principles and basic techniques of mini2P, a new type of head-mounted 2-photon miniscope that allows calcium recording in freely behaving animals. You will learn about the entire procedure, from surgery, through recording to data analysis with a big emphasis on a practical approach.